UNC football head coach Bill Belichick and UNC basketball legend Roy Williams Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

UNC Football: Bill Belichick Knocking on Top 10's Door in 2026 Cycle

Originally posted on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI
By Matt Giles | Last updated May 7, 2025 8:03 PM ET

First-year UNC football head coach Bill Belichick and his now-undeniably more-than-capable recruiting team enjoyed the program's 14th win on the 2026 trail via Wednesday's commitment from Archbishop Moeller High School (Ohio) standout junior tight end Cooper McCutchan.

The 6-foot-4, 235-pound three-star prospect, who racked up over 30 Division I offers while climbing to his current standing at No. 865 overall and No. 43 among tight ends on the 247Sports 2026 Composite, became UNC's first reported 2026 prize across the first week of May following five quality additions to the Tar Heel class throughout April.

2024 Playoff Run

11 catches ✅
223 yards ✅
3 TDs ✅ @MoellerFootball @Coach_B10 @Coach__Finn @CoachGray70 @LetsGoBigMoe

IG @ Ised Media
IG @ Max_Filmz pic.twitter.com/F0Qcx6D4sC
— Cooper McCutchan (@CooperMccutchan) January 9, 2025

McCutchan's announcement leaves Belichick's Tar Heels just outside the top 10 in the 2026 cycle, per 247Sports. At No. 11 overall, the first-class UNC football class now stacks up third in the ACC, sitting below No. 5 Clemson and No. 10 Syracuse.

100% COMMITTED to play for @UNCFootball! #GoHeels

Thank you @Belichick_B, @CoachFKitchens and @CoachPick53 for the opportunity. @BigMoBarrett @MoellerFootball pic.twitter.com/RKcbpmWOtl
— Cooper McCutchan (@CooperMccutchan) May 7, 2025

Add in the fact that UNC has also been busy overcoming its late reboot on the 2025 recruiting trail and required scramble in the portal when the now-73-year-old Belichick arrived in December without a full staff in place. Five months later, the Tar Heels boast a No. 28 composite ranking between their 2025 recruiting and transfer successes, and their portal haul alone ranks No. 9 in the country.

Moreover, just the one 2027 UNC football commit to date, Junipero Serra (Calif.) three-star athlete Skylar Robinson, gives the Tar Heels the No. 20-ranked collection in the extremely early going of that cycle.

It's safe to say the six-time Super Bowl champion head coach isn't having much issue building his first UNC football roster and beyond.

This article first appeared on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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